Chapter 4 - The Shadow of the Past
For three weeks, Emma recovered inside Dante’s penthouse.
The quiet, luxurious environment was a sanctuary she had never dreamed of. Dante made sure she had everything she needed—private physical therapy, fine meals prepared by his personal chef, and absolute peace.
As the days passed, the dynamic between them shifted. Dante found himself coming home earlier every afternoon, eager to sit with Emma in the library, listening to her talk about her dream of finishing her degree in art history. Underneath her timid exterior, Dante discovered a brilliant, resilient woman who had endured unimaginable hardship without losing her gentle heart.
And Emma saw the man behind the terrifying reputation—a fiercely loyal, protective leader who carried the heavy burden of his family's dark history with quiet honor.
One rainy afternoon, while Dante was at his office on Mulberry Street, the elevator doors of the penthouse opened.
Celeste Ward, Dante’s sharp attorney, stepped into the living room holding a thick Manila folder.
Emma stood up from the sofa, her arm still in a cast. “Hello, Ms. Ward. Dante isn't home yet.”
Celeste looked at Emma with a calculating, stern expression. “I know he isn't, Miss Vale. I came to speak to you.”
Celeste set the folder down on the coffee table.
“Marcus has been arrested for multiple outstanding warrants in New Jersey,” Celeste said plainly. “He won't be bothering you again. But you need to understand something, Emma.”
Emma blinked. “Understand what?”
“Dante Moretti is trying to go legit,” Celeste explained, her voice softening slightly. “He is finalizing a fifty-million-dollar real estate deal that will completely sever his ties to the old syndicate families. Bringing a woman with a violent ex-husband into his life—a woman who drew him back into street violence three weeks ago—puts everything he has built at risk.”
Emma felt a cold pit form in her stomach. “I never wanted to cause him trouble.”
“I’m not saying you did,” Celeste said gently. “I’m saying that people in Dante's position have enemies. If his rivals find out he cares about you, they will use you to destroy him.”
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Celeste slid a plane ticket and a cashier’s check across the table.
“This is enough for a fresh start in Seattle,” Celeste said. “Dante protected you. Now you have to decide if you're going to protect him.”
